Volume 7.18 | May 22

New Form of Interleukin-2 Could Be Fine-Tuned to Fight Disease
Scientists report the development of a new way to modify interleukin-2 (IL-2), a substance known as a cytokine that plays key roles in regulating immune system responses, in order to fine-tune its actions. Harnessing the action of IL-2 in a controllable fashion is of clinical interest with potential benefit in a range of situations, including transplantation and autoimmune disease. [Press release from the National Institutes of Health discussing publication in Immunity] Press Release|Full Article|Graphical Abstract

Th17 Cells Give Rise to Th1 Cells that Are Required for the Pathogenesis of Colitis
Using a Th17 transfer model of colitis, investigators found that IFN-γ–deficient Th17 cells retained an IL-17A+ phenotype and were unable to induce colitis in recipients. Development of disease required the transition of a subset of Th17 precursors to Th1-like cells and was contingent on the expression of both Stat4 and T-bet, but not the IL-12 or IFN-γ receptors. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Regulatory T Cell Identity: Formation and Maintenance
The authors review recent insights into the mechanisms that maintain T regulatory (Treg) cell stability and function, and place these findings within the broader understanding of mechanisms that establish Treg cell identity during development. They integrate emerging principles in Treg cell lineage maintenance with the mechanisms that allow Treg cells to sense and respond to varied inflammatory environments, and outline important areas of future inquiry in this context. [Trends Immunol] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the immune regulation research field.